A high frequency power amplifying device for use in wireless communication devices, such as car telephones or mobile telephones, has a multi-stage configuration in which a plurality of amplifiers, each consisting of a semiconductor amplifying element (transistor), are connected in cascade in two, three or more stages. The amplifier of the final stage (final amplifying stage) of the multi-stage configuration constitutes the output stage, and the amplifiers of the preceding stages (amplifying stages) constitute drive stages. In addition, inductors are incorporated in a number of positions to regulate circuit impedance.
Required performance characteristics of high frequency power amplifying devices include high efficiency, high gain, compactness and low cost. In addition, portable devices in particular require consideration for the resistance of amplifying element of the final stage (semiconductor amplifying element) against a high voltage that may work on it as a result of reflection that would result from a substantial variation in the impedance of the antenna and consequent load mismatching.
FIG. 33 is a block diagram of the circuit configuration of a high frequency power amplifying device studied by the present inventors before their attempt at the present invention. This high frequency power amplifying device is a dual band device capable of amplification for two communication systems, including the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) and the Digital Cellular System (DCS).
This high frequency power amplifying device 1 has as its external electrode terminals a GSM input terminal (Pin GSM {circle around (1)}), a control terminal (Vapc {circle around (2)}), one source voltage terminal of a source voltage Vdd (Ydd1 {circle around (3)}), a GSM output terminal (Pout GSM {circle around (4)}), a DCS output terminal (Pout DCS{circle around (5)}), the other source voltage terminal of the source voltage Vdd (Vdd-2 {circle around (6)}), a communication band switching terminal (Vct1 {circle around (7)}), a DCS input terminal (Pin DCS {circle around (8)}) and a ground voltage terminal (GND) (not shown).
The amplifying lines of both DCS and GSM are configured in three amplifying stages. The DCS amplifying line consists of amplifying stages denoted by 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the diagram (amp1, amp2 and amp3), while the GSM amplifying line consists of amplifying stages similarly denoted by 1st, 2nd and 3rd (amp4, amp5 and amp6). Each amplifying stage consists of a field effect transistor (FET) though not shown.
In this configuration, Pin DCS {circle around (8)} is connected to amp1; Pout DCS {circle around (5)}, to amp3; Pin GSM {circle around (1)}, to amp4 and Pout GSM {circle around (4)}, to amp6.
Vapc {circle around (2)} is connected to a bias circuit 2, and amp1 through amp6 are controlled with signals inputted to this Vapc {circle around (2 )}.
Vdd1 {circle around (1)} is connected to amp4 via a microstrip line MS3, to amp5 via a microstrip line MS4 and to amp6 via an inductor L2. Further to stabilize the high frequency performance, a capacitance C1, of which one end is grounded through GND, is externally connected to Vdd1 {circle around (3)}.
Vdd2 {circle around (6)} is connected to amp1 via a microstrip line MS1, to amp2 via a microstrip line MS2 and to amp3 via an inductor L1. Further to stabilize the high frequency performance, a capacitance C2, of which one end is grounded through GND, is externally connected to Vdd2 {circle around (6)}.
Vct1 {circle around (7)} is connected to a band select circuit 3. This band select circuit 3 is composed of three n-channel type field effect transistors (FET) Q8, Q9 and Q10, whose sources are grounded, and one resistor R1. The gate terminal of Q8 and Q9 are connected to Vct1 {circle around (7)}. The gate terminal of Q10 is connected to the drain terminal of Q9, which is connected to the output side of amp5 via a resistor R2. The drain terminal of Q9 is connected to Vdd2 {circle around (6)} via the resistor R1. The drain terminal of Q8 is connected to the input side of amp3 via an inductor L3.
Band switching is accomplished with a signal supplied to Vct1 {circle around (7)} to carry out amplification for DCS communication or for GSM communication.
In the circuitry shown in FIG. 33, a common power supply line is used by the GSM circuit chain and the DCS circuit chain. It has been found that, as a result of this, there is formed a feedback loop (indicated by bold arrows in FIG. 33) for leak signals from the 3rd FET to return to the 1st FET, inviting susceptibility to oscillation.
On the other hand, the inductors used according to the prior art are chip inductors. However, chip inductors have high DC resistances and accordingly constitute restraints on output and efficiency in high frequency power amplifying devices (high frequency power amplifier modules) for mobile telephones. Thus, chip inductors require a current capacity of 2 A or more when they are to be used on the power supply line of a high frequency power amplifying device, and therefore have to be produced to a special specification, which means a correspondingly high price and difficulty of urgent procurement.
Commercially available air core coils are too large in external dimensions to be mounted on a module which has a prescribed height limit. Thus, chip-shaped electronic parts such as chip resistors and chip capacitors incorporated into high frequency power amplifying devices are commonly known as “1005” products, measuring 1 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width, smaller than commercially available air core coils.
Moreover, conventional chip inductors are expensive, and their high prices constitute a constraint to cost reduction of hybrid integrated circuit devices. Whereas chip inductors are diverse in structure, the mainstream structures of those used in high frequency power amplifying devices comprise one consisting of a wire wound around a ceramic base member, a spiral one formed by stacking conductors, such as Ag and Ni over a ceramic base and another produced by plating the surface of a ceramic core to form a metal layer and spirally cutting this metal layer with a laser beam.
In view of these circumstances, the present applicants studied, with a view to reducing the size and cost and weakening the DC resistance, a coil formed by spirally winding a highly conductive metal wire, and proposed a new type of coil (coil inductor) (Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-367762).
This type of coil, to cite an example, has a structure consisting of a copper wire of 0.1 mm in diameter, whose surface is covered with an insulating film (e.g., polyethylene film), is spirally wound into a shape measuring 0.56 mm in outer diameter and 0.9 mm in length, both approximately. Before spirally winding the coil, the insulating film at both end portions of the copper wire is removed to a fixed length each, or these parts are covered with no insulating film from the outset. Therefore, one or more rounds of the coil not covered by the insulating film serve as electrodes. This coil is very light, weighing only about 0.0725 mg. Since this air core coil proposed by the present applicants is manufactured by winding a copper wire, the air coil of 8 nH in inductance has a D.C. resistance of about 20 mΩ, much lower than the 100 mΩ D.C. resistance of a conventional chip inductor of 8 nH (for instance, a “1005” product structured by spirally cutting a small metal layer with a laser beam).
The air core coil proposed here of 8 nH in inductance is 20 mΩ in D.C. resistance, or ⅕ of that of the conventional inductor, with a corresponding cost advantage.
Applicants, intending to incorporate this air core coil into a high frequency power amplifying device, which also is a hybrid integrated circuit device, attempted assembly using a conventional bulk feeder.
However, the applicants have found that it is difficult to stably supply such extremely light coils (air core coils) with the conventional bulk feeder.
An example of bulk feeder, which also is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, is disclosed in Matsushita Technical Journal, Vol. 45, No. 4, August 1999, pp. 86-90. This literature describes a hopper type bulk feeder suitable for packaging of surface-mountable electronic parts such as laminated chip capacitors and thick film chip resistors.
FIG. 34 through FIG. 42 illustrate a conventional bulk feeder. As shown in FIG. 34, the conventional bulk feeder has a bulk accommodating case 10 for accommodating bulk, a hopper 11 arranged underneath this bulk accommodating case 10, and a conveyor rail 13 for guiding the bulk accepted through the hopper 11 toward a bulk feed section 12 at the tip.
The bulk accommodating case 10 is structured as a thin box, whose inner bottom constitutes slopes 14 for gathering the bulk from both sides toward the center. The hopper 11, arranged to pierce the center of these slopes 14 and to take out the bulk gathered on the inner bottom parts of the slopes 14 from the bulk accommodating case 10 in an aligned state is configured of a guide 16 having a frustum concave 15 at the upper end, and a feed shaft 18 consisting of an angular pipe and having a guide hole 17 for guiding one component at a time of the bulk through this guide 16 along the center axis, as shown in FIG. 35. The guide 16 is structured to oscillate up and down so that the bulk enter the guide hole 17 from the upper end of the feed shaft 18. It oscillates in an amplitude of, for instance, about three times the length of the bulk (one stroke: abbreviated to 1 St).
The guide hole 17 has a rectangular section as shown in FIG. 36. The feed shaft 18 measures 2.6 mm in diameter, and has at its center the rectangular guide hole 17 of 0.63 mm in width and 0.87 mm in length.
It was found that, when coils (air core coils) 9 each measuring 0.56 mm×0.85 mm were fed in bulk with such a bulk feeder, a number of feed faults would arise as shown in FIG. 35 and FIG. 36.
One is a feed fault A in which the air core coil 9 rides on the upper end of the feed shaft 18 on account of the wall thickness of the cylindrical feed shaft 18 and therefore fails to enter the guide hole 17.
Another is a feed fault B in which a gap 19 occurs between the slope of the frustum concave 15 and the outer circumference of the feed shaft 18 when the guide 16 has come down, and the air core coil 9 is caught in this gap 19.
Still another is a feed fault C in which the air core coil 9 measuring 0.53 mm×0.85 mm, because it has some dimensional fluctuations, is toppled sideways and caught on the way of the guide hole 17 measuring 0.63 mm×0.87 mm.
Also, as the conveyor rail 13 of the conventional bulk feeder has a seam D as shown in FIG. 34, the air core coil 9 may be caught by that seam and invite a feed fault.
On the other hand, the bulk feed section 12 is structured as shown in FIG. 37, and acts as illustrated in FIG. 37 through FIG. 42. Thus, as shown in FIG. 37, toward the tip of the conveyor rail 13, the upper side of the tip of the conveyor rail body 25 is a step lower, and a slider 26 is fitted to this lower portion to be able to reciprocate along the shifting direction of the air core coil 9.
A rail 27 provided with the guide hole 17 to guide the air core coil 9 extends to the stepped portion of the conveyor rail body 25. The conveyor rail body 25 has a stopper portion 28 for stopping the forward end of the air core coil 9 having entered the guide hole 17 of the rail 27 and moved on. This stopper portion 28 is in contact with the upper side of the air core coil 9, and its lower portion is a partially open space. This constitutes a vacuum suction passage 30a for subjecting the air core coil 9 to vacuum suction to bring it into contact with the stopper portion 28.
The slider 26 is brought into contact on its left end face with a side of the stepped portion by a spring 29. The state in which the left end face of the slider 26 is in contact with the side of the stepped portion constitutes the position of the stopper portion 28 to position the air core coil 9, i.e. its positioning reference face.
A shutter 31 overlaps the slider 26, and is shiftable relative to the slider 26. The shutter 31 reciprocates in the shifting direction of air core coils 9, and spans a slightly longer range than the length of the leading one of the air core coils 9 moving in the guide hole 17 of the rail 27. Therefore, the tip of the rail 27 has a structure in which the part of the rail 27 over the upper face of the guide hole 17 is removed. The shutter 31 forms a vacuum suction passage 30b between it and the slider 26. Holes are bored in the shutter 31, the slider 26 and the conveyor rail body 25 to form vacuum suction passages 30c, 30d and 30e. When the slider 26 moves towards the left end and the shutter 31 hangs over the guide hole 17, these three holes overlap one another to subject the air core coils 9 to vacuum suction as indicated by thick arrows in FIG. 37 to bring the leading one of the air core coils 9 into contact with the stopper portion 28. This vacuum suction also aligns the succeeding air core coils 9 in the guide hole 17 as shown in FIG. 38.
As illustrated in FIG. 39, when the shutter 31 is opened towards the right hand side, i.e. away from the end of the guide hole 17, the leading air core coil 9 and the leading edge of the second air core coil 9 in a slight length are exposed. This opening action causes the vacuum suction passage 30d to be blocked by the shutter 31, and therefore the vacuum suction stops. The shutter 31 is shifted by, for instance, as long as three times the length (3 St) of the air core coil 9. FIG. 40 shows an enlarged section of these relationships.
Then, a collet 32 shifts, holds the air core coil 9 by vacuum suction, and brings it to above the module substrate, and the air core coil 9 is mounted.
Incidentally, since air core coils are extremely light as mentioned above, they may be easily moved by a variation in air flow (air pressure) at the time of switching vacuum suction or by vibration, and the ends of consecutive air core coils 9 may overlap each other as shown in FIG. 44 for example. In this case, the collet 32 becomes unable to securely hold the air core coil 9 by vacuum suction and carry it, making it impossible to mount the air core coil 9 over the module substrate. If the vacuum suction force is increased to strengthen vacuum suction by the collet, that vacuum suction force may disturb the coil alignment, and therefore the vacuum suction force of the collet cannot be increased more than necessary, making its control delicate. FIG. 43 illustrates an undisturbed line of air core coils 9.
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device excelling in high frequency characteristics and permitting enhancement of output and efficiency and a reduction of manufacturing cost, and an electronic device into which the semiconductor device is incorporated.
Another object of the invention is to provide a high frequency power amplifying device excelling in high frequency characteristics and permitting enhancement of output and efficiency and a reduction of manufacturing cost, and a wireless communication device into which the high frequency power amplifying device is incorporated.
Another object of the invention is to provide a semiconductor device mounted with air core coils of low D.C. resistance, and an electronic device into which the semiconductor device is incorporated.
Another object of the invention is to provide a high frequency power amplifying device mounted with air core coils of low D.C. resistance, and a wireless communication device into which the high frequency power amplifying device is incorporated.
Another object of the invention is to provide a high frequency power amplifying device whose oscillation margin can be improved, and a wireless communication device into which the high frequency power amplifying device is incorporated and which excels in speech communicating performance.
Another object of the invention is to provide a semiconductor device manufacturing method permitting accurate and secure mounting of components fed in bulk on a wiring board.
Another object of the invention is to provide a semiconductor device manufacturing method permitting accurate and secure mounting of coils fed in bulk on a wiring board.
Another object of the invention is to provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus capable of achieving steady supply of components in bulk.
Another object of the invention is to provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus capable of achieving capable of achieving steady supply of coils in bulk.
The aforementioned and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the description in this specification and the accompanying drawings.